Many modern vehicles include systems that enable an individual to open or close of doors and other access points on a vehicle without the use of the individual's hands. Such systems offer a convenience to the user in the event that the user's hands are otherwise occupied by, for example carrying items. In the case of vehicle rear closures, one conventional access control system involves detecting a kicking movement of a user's foot underneath the rear of the vehicle and opening the rear closure in response. This system, however, is relatively expensive to install in the vehicle and integrate with other vehicle components. Further, while the system enables a hands free opening of the rear closure, the system can still be difficult to use because it requires the user to balance on one foot while making a sweeping motion with the other—an action that can be difficult when the user is in certain footwear (e.g., high heeled shoes) or carrying certain items (e.g., a large number of bags of groceries).